Aurigids 2026: The First Meteor Shower in September
The Aurigids are a lesser-known meteor shower, usually modest but sometimes capable of pleasant surprises. Unfortunately, in 2026, observation conditions for the Aurigids will be unfavorable due to an almost full Moon. Still, if you’re up for catching a few brighter shooting stars, it’s worth a try — and the Sky Tonight app can help you pick the darkest viewing window for your location.
Contents
- Aurigids 2026: When and where to see
- What do we know about the Aurigids?
- What is a meteor shower?
- The Aurigids 2026: To sum up
Aurigids 2026: When and where to see
- Active: August 28 – September 5
- Peak of activity: August 31 – September 1
- Meteors/hour: 6
- Moon illumination: 84%
- Radiant location: Auriga
- Parent body: Comet C/1911 N1 (Kiess)
- Best visible from: Northern Hemisphere
- Description: The Aurigids are a weak meteor shower that usually brings just a handful of meteors per hour. On rare occasions, they produce short outbursts — but most years offer a quiet, subtle display.
Aurigids 2026: Visibility forecast
In 2026, the Aurigids reach their maximum just three days after the Full Moon, so only the brightest meteors will be visible under the brightly lit skies. To improve your chances of seeing shooting stars, try to position yourself so that the Moon is blocked by a tree or building.
When to watch the Aurigids 2026
This year, the Aurigids are active from August 28 to September 5 and reach their maximum on the night of August 31 — September 1. A couple of other meteor showers also take place in September — check out our dedicated article to learn what else to expect from this month.
How many meteors to expect
In 2026, the Aurigids are expected to produce up to 6 meteors per hour under ideal dark-sky conditions. However, the bright Moon during the shower’s peak will significantly reduce the number of meteors you can actually see.
Where to look for Aurigids
The radiant point of the Aurigid meteor shower is located in the constellation Auriga, which rises in the northeast. The higher the radiant is in the sky, the more meteors you're likely to see. The radiant elevation will vary depending on your location.
View from the Northern Hemisphere
The Aurigids are best seen from the Northern Hemisphere, where their radiant rises earlier at night and climbs higher. Start your observations after 01:00 a.m. local time.
View from the Southern Hemisphere
In the Southern Hemisphere, the radiant rises early in the morning, at about 3-4 a.m., and stays close to the horizon. You’ll only have about a couple of hours of viewing time before sunrise.
You can get more tips on watching shooting stars from our dedicated article. For a quick and handy visual guide, explore our meteor shower infographic.
What do we know about the Aurigids?
The Aurigids (or, more officially, Alpha Aurigids) are a medium meteor shower discovered by C. Hoffmeister and A. Teichgraeber on the night of August 31, 1935. Its radiant is placed in the constellation Auriga, near the Alpha Aurigae or Capella star; the meteor shower’s parent body is the comet C/1911 N1 Kiess.
One of the rarest meteor showers
A meteor stream is an easily predictable annual event. Why do we call the Aurigids one of the “rarest meteor showers” in this case?
Usually, a meteor shower activity is variable and depends on several factors, one of which is a parent body’s orbital period around the Sun. Most meteor showers originate from short-period comets with orbits lasting less than 200 years. As they approach the Sun, they shed debris, which accumulates into a wide band along their path. Each year, when the Earth passes through this debris, it burns up in the atmosphere, creating the appearance of shooting stars.
The Aurigids, however, come from a long-period comet Kiess that takes 2000 years to complete its orbit around the Sun. Due to its infrequent visits, the comet cannot form a broad dust band; instead, it produces only a narrow debris trail with each approach. So the Aurigids are not as abundant as, for example, the Perseids or Orionids, and rarely show some special activity.
Occasional outbursts
In 1935, this meteor stream was discovered due to its high activity and the bright splashes it produced in the skies. Seventy-two years later, in 2007, the Aurigids’ highest rate was more than 100 meteors per hour. According to the European Space Agency, the dust trail of comet Kiess will not be crossed again in this manner for 70 years.
Unexpected short outbursts of the Aurigids’ activity were noticed in 1986, 1994, and 2019, with the maximum number of meteors per hour reaching 30-50. Other outbursts were possibly missed since there were no regular observations.
The observation campaign
In 2007, NASA Ames Research Center and SETI Institute organized an airborne observation campaign called the Aurigids Multi-instrument Aircraft Campaign (Aurigids MAC). This campaign was a collaboration of 24 scientists from different countries and lasted from August 30 to September 2.
Visual, triangulation, and spectroscopic observation methods were used in this campaign. Although the peak failed to appear over Hawaii, the airborne campaign recorded an hourly rate of 40 meteors. Reports about hundreds of meteoroids were obtained in North America and Scandinavia.
What is a meteor shower?
The phenomenon we call a meteor shower occurs when the Earth’s orbit passes through the debris or dust grains left by a space object, typically a comet. Debris particles enter the orbit at high speed and quickly burn out in the atmosphere. Meteor showers provide a spectacular view for observers from the Earth and give astronomers a perfect opportunity to collect information about a particular comet.
To observe a meteor shower properly, you need to know:
- its activity period and peak night,
- location of its radiant (a point in the sky from which meteors seem to appear),
- ZHR (the expected number of meteors per hour),
- and the Moon phase (strong moonlight can wash out meteors, so it’s best to plan your observations around the New Moon or after the moonset).
We've detailed all this information in our article, but if you prefer having it readily accessible on your device, download the Sky Tonight app. It features a comprehensive list of meteor showers, including their activity periods and peak dates, along with a lunar calendar and an interactive sky map which can help you find the radiant in the sky from your location.
The Aurigids 2026: To sum up
In 2026, the Aurigids peak on the night of August 31–September 1. This year, the Moon will be shining strongly during the peak, so only the brightest meteors are likely to be visible. If you decide to observe, find a dark spot, look well away from the Moon, and watch in the late night or pre-dawn hours when the radiant is higher. Use Star Walk 2 or Sky Tonight to pick the best observation time for your location and get up-to-date information about other astronomical events. Also, check how good you are at watching shooting stars by passing the quiz!
Wishing you clear skies and happy observations!
